Stones top the bill over Genesis

On the final day of the regular season in the KRyS Global National Mixed Touch Rugby Championships, play-off places were up for grabs. The three games produced some great action.

SteppingStones 10 Genesis Trust 6

SteppingStones took on Genesis Trust in a top of the table clash and there was much to give the crowd plenty of satisfaction. In a hard fought match the ‘Stones stayed top of the touch charts with a win that sets them up nicely for the upcoming play-offs.

Rudolf Weder and James Waters provided a solid base and rhythm but it was Simon Raftopolous who scored four tries in the first half. Mike McGrath cleverly choreographed his teammates aided by Morgan Shelver and others.

In the early exchanges SteppingStones’ power-play got the crowd rocking and the scores came at regular intervals. Genesis were off key in defensive areas.

Lisa Kehoe weighed in with a season’s best of three tries for Genesis, Alex Pineau got a pair and Neil Montgomery added a consolation.

SteppingStones took advantage of some slack defending and scored some well executed break-out tries. The try of the game was by SteppingStones’ Karen Hart who superbly finished off a move involving all six players moving the ball from one side of the pitch to the other.

So ultra-focused SteppingStones finish the regular season on top of the table giving them the number one seeding into the play-off finals.

DART 10 KPMG 3

With both teams firmly anchored at the wrong end of the league table this was a battle for pride. DART went ahead early on when captain Stacy Ottenbreit scored.

KPMG’s Ian Roberton replied with three scores. However when DART’s Alana Grace scored to make it 3-3 they took over. Niall O’Sullivan, in his first run-out of the season, put on a fine individual display scoring a hat-trick of tries only to be bettered by Andy Childe who scored four to secure a comfortable DART win.

SIDEBAR NWNT 10

Heineken Brew Crew 6

Another interesting match-up saw SIDEbar NWNT take on Heineken Brew Crew whose effervescent season has gone a bit flat of late.

The teams shared scores throughout a highly competitive first half with SIDEbar’s Adam Huckle, Nic Swartz, Simon Crompton all scoring whilst Neal Ainscow, with his distinctive upright running style, galloped through the defensive line repeatedly for a brace. Brew-Crew’s Paul Westin (2) and Marco du Plessis crossed the line to keep Heineken in the game.

The massed crowd on the bleachers could not wait for a pulsating second half to start, expecting more of the same cut and thrust. However, the fizz went out of Heineken and further scores from Jyoti Choi (3) and last week’s seven-try hero Riley Mullen stretched the lead as SIDEbar dominated.

Whilst the guys scored the tries a shout-out must go to SIDEbar’s women. Consolation tries for Westin, Iain Currie and Phill Thompson made the score look closer than the game actually was and now SIDEbar go into the play-offs knowing they have a real chance of taking the title.